Boulders

Porphyry

"Because, Hayate, Toph is not only a teacher to one of my cute minions, but all the other people I trust are going to be here as well. Who would I leave her with?"

"I resent that statement," Toph wiped her tongue on her sleeve one last time before continuing. "Also, what about Lady Dango?"

"Lady Dango?" Kakashi asked, then she felt his shoulders slump. "Anko got to you."

There was a doomed finality to his tone. She smirked. "Anko?"

"She's corrupted you," Kakashi sighed. "I suppose it was only a matter of time."

Hayate sighed. "She's busy too. Orochimaru's left his own unique traces-"

He cut himself off.

"Maa, Hayate. Toph is pretty good at keeping secrets. Although I'm pretty sure she doesn't know who Orochimaru is."

"I don't," Toph chirped. "But I get the feeling that he's not that great a guy."

"Oh, joy. You've figured out all our secrets," Kakashi said wryly. "Whatever shall we do?"

"Stop that," she poked his shoulder. "I know you're making a joke but if this dude is dangerous I probably should know why."

There was an awkward, tense silence, and then Hayate coughed again. "Well, we're here."

They landed and this time Toph heard their shoes crunching on solid ground. She wriggled until Kakashi let her down, then buried her toes into the earth, feeling the vibrations, the sense of rightness in the world-

Wait.

There was something terribly wrong.

Well, two things. The closest was a buzzing wrongness in the building behind her. It felt like living sand, only that was impossible.

The other was much more troubling.

Toph could feel what seemed like a huge Earthbending battle, only it was at the very edge of her range, impossibly large, and she and Sakura were the only Earthbenders in this-

Oma and Shu.

Sakura couldn't do the precision stuff yet.

But she was ridiculously good at the big stuff.

"Hey, Mr Kakashi," Toph stomped the ground trying to get a clearer image, but the only thing she picked up that she couldn't see before was a giant... "Does this Orochimaru guy have giant snakes?"

▪▪▪

Sauske was starting to believe that this woman was immortal or something. He had no idea where Sakura and Naruto were anymore. He had given his all to defeating her and now...

Her neck lengthened and her jaw unhinged and the whole monstrosity of her head shot towards him-

"GET YOUR CREEPY FACE AWAY FROM MY TEAMMATE!"

Sakura.

A boulder suddenly planted itself in her face, pushing her away long enough for a giant wall to erupt from the ground in front of him, Sakura riding it like a wave.

It was like Toph's bending but different. Sakura wasn't as efficient, but still-

Why was he thinking about that when she needed his help?!

Sauske let out a shout and leaped back into the fray.

▪▪▪

Sakura was in the mode. Yes, this was all terrible and she knew it would end in death one way or another and yet-